"It was spontaneous combustion from some stain-soaked rags that the homeowner had just used," he said.

The homeowner had been staining and laid the rags down near a trash can next to the garage, the chief said. While the rags sat out in the sun, they combusted, spreading to the trash can and garage and eventually reaching the rest of the home.

Weidenhammer estimated the damage at $150,000.

“I consider it a total loss at this point," he said.

He said the fire was fully involved when firefighters arrived, and the smoke column could be seen from roughly four miles away. The home is located in a heavily wooded area, and the fire spread to some of the nearby woods, according to Weidenhammer.